link<\/a> for synopsis<\/p>\n————————————————————————-<\/p>\n
James Currie<\/strong>: First off, where is that super awesome “Landspeeder burnt orange” Pinto and why was it not parked outside the Genesee Theatre?<\/p>\nPatrick Read Johnson<\/strong>: Ah, well, that damn car. The Pinto lasted through almost all of it but finally succumbed to, it had a good life, but the engine gave out just a few weeks before the premiere. I could choose between finishing the movie, or fix the Pinto. I though, if I show up with a Pinto and no movie, I might be in trouble. It now sits in my favorite garage in Winston-Salem North Carolina waiting for it to be brought back from the dead.<\/p>\nJC<\/strong>: It\u2019s going to be one of those iconic movie mobiles. You know, like the Vacation station wagon, The A-Teams van or Luke\u2019s landspeeder for sure.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/beintheloopchicago.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/5-25-77-premiere-at-Genesee-Theatre-Waukegan-05-22-17-4-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
PRJ:<\/strong> (laughs) I will say it was fully restored while back in Illinois a few months ago back by a guy named Bill McCorkle and Joe Kulaga. They said, bring it over and we\u2019d fix it all up for you. They had no idea what they were getting into. It was pretty rough. He said, we\u2019ll take care of it. After six months, he finished it. His kids were extras in the movie, so they did it for free. It\u2019s looks great, but doesn\u2019t run.<\/p>\nJC<\/strong>: So the premiere looks like it went over very well. How did you feel about it?<\/p>\nPRJ:<\/strong> Yes it did. I was really happy about it all. Everyone was really great there. It just felt right.<\/p>\nJC:<\/strong> You started working on this back in 1999?<\/p>\nPRJ<\/strong>: Yeah well, I started writing this back in \u201899 but didn\u2019t start shooting it until 2004. Then we kept shooting it for the next couple of years, again and again, adding to it. Then it kind of went into a hibernation for a while when the perception was that Star Wars was not much of phenomenon anymore. That hurt us actually, but it also gave me time away from the film and came back with fresher eyes and I recognized some things about it that didn\u2019t work the way I wanted them to and some things I could do to really radically improve the telling of the tale.<\/p>\nJC<\/strong>: Such as?<\/p>\nPRJ:<\/strong> Well, originally, the whole movie was to take place on 5-25-77, the day that Star Wars came out. Then we did flashbacks to how our main character got here. That was the original screenplay, but by the time we got back to shooting it again I was beginning to suspect that was a narrative effect that wouldn\u2019t hold up to the dramatic tension I wanted. It seemed like we were putting the breaks on constantly to go back and tell the story and I didn\u2019t know that was going to help with the tension in the film and the audiences involvement. So we shot it as a more linear fashion but then when we went back in and cut it all together and liked it, we started thinking, hang on now, one of the problems that were having a wonderful linear story but it\u2019s a long haul. How can I make it shorter without cheating the meaning of the moments of the sequences that I\u2019m trying to keep in here, is there a narrative device that I can use to get in and out of here from a different perspective and I realized that, there\u2019s a moment in the film, late in the film were Pat is sort of rolling through his collection of films on the reel on his editing machine kind of remembering life up until this point, he\u2019s kind of losing it, so he starts rewinding this thing to when his life was new and young and innocent and we though, what would be more powerful is you simply cut to him sitting there rolling through the movie we\u2019ve been watching. So in his mind, it\u2019s leading up to those moments of frustration.<\/p>\nIn other words, the whole story is kind of being told from that moment when he kind of lost everything and he\u2019s deciding what to do with his life. So the narrative device of using that editing machine helps with the dramatic thrust of the film I think.<\/p>\n
The part where Pat\u2019s father, played by me, says, \u201cEditing is when you see things in your story that you don\u2019t like you take it out.\u201d The audience seems to agree. A lot of people who saw earlier cuts of the film say this worked much better. It really dramatically changed the story telling.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/beintheloopchicago.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/5-25-77-premiere-at-Genesee-Theatre-Waukegan-05-22-17-15-200x300.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
JC<\/strong>: And that\u2019s what I\u2019ve heard from others who\u2019ve seen the other, earlier cuts. They said this was so much different than what they originally saw. It really works much better.<\/p>\nPRJ:<\/strong> Yeah, I think that they (the audience) don\u2019t even really see it happening that way. They don\u2019t know what it\u2019s doing to them to have it presented that way. And that\u2019s what I like about it, it\u2019s pretty subtle.<\/p>\nJC<\/strong>: I also like how you used those physical camera changes to represent different points of view, feelings and story lines. At one point you were using Canon XL-1\u2019s and T-3\u2019s I think right? What all was used to make this picture and how did the actual filming\/recording process come into play. I mean, when you first started, digital cameras were still in their early stages right?<\/p>\nPRJ<\/strong>: Yeah, the film in its previous iterations was replete with lots of sort of \u201ctemp\u201d shots that were meant to be later re-filmed because they were shot on like a DV cam or HDX camera that we knew when we got more money we\u2019d go back and reshoot these things with real cameras and some we did get to redo and others not. There were certain scenes or sequences that were just not meant to be put up on the big screen but then we said, well hang on a second, as part of this narrative cinematic device of using the editing machine as the through line, we can always matte and reduce down to collapse his world down and his footage down into something that was watchable.<\/p>\nAt the very end we ending up using Sony A7S-2 and even at one point a Canon 5D Mark 3 at one point. Pretty much every camera at the time to present including a RED camera and Panavision. I mean some of it was shot 35mm anamorphic wide screen and some of it was Super 16, pretty much every flavor of film other than light bright.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/beintheloopchicago.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/5-25-77-premiere-at-Genesee-Theatre-Waukegan-05-22-17-9-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
JC<\/strong>: Well it all worked and was kind of cool to see like that. Almost homage<\/em> to film as a medium.<\/p>\nSo, how much of what we saw Monday night was what you actually film from the beginning to what you remade in recent years?<\/p>\n
PRJ<\/strong>: I\u2019d say probably 80% of what made it to the film is what we already shot. The things that were done in the last few years were things like the opening title sequence and me playing my father those sections didn\u2019t exist before. We had to grow that gap from when he saw 2001: A Space Odyssey as a boy to all the sudden we see him as a young man. We needed to fill that in with scenes to build the relationship up and allow the viewer to emotionally grow into that film geek he became. It sets up why he became a filmmaker verses how too. The power of seeing that visually is more than just trying to fill in the blanks with your mind. You really see that he must have had a crazy life as a kid. Hahaha<\/p>\nThat was the kinds of things that were added in the last couple years. Also special effects like the pinto sliding into place in front of the theatre and school. That was actually shot just three days before the premiere. (chuckles)<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/beintheloopchicago.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/5-25-77-premiere-at-Genesee-Theatre-Waukegan-05-22-17-33-300x200.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
JC:<\/strong> That\u2019s pretty incredible and just proves how still involved you are with this film. Well congrats for making your premiere! Ha<\/p>\nOn that note, what did we actually watch the film on? What format did you decide on film? Digital media? Hard drive? What was coming out of that projection both at the Genesee Theatre?<\/p>\n
PRJ<\/strong>: Oh it was digital. There are no film prints. Not that I wouldn\u2019t love one, but cost and the difficulty at getting one at this point is just not attainable for now. Believe it or not, the actual film you saw on Monday was not the final film. (sighs) The final ultimate version of this film will come out digital and it will have a lot of interesting fun stuff that we just could not get ready for the theatrical release. If we would have had another month, you would be seeing the final, final cut for the digital release. I had made the target date release last year for this 5-25-2017 theatrical release I just could not make that date. Films are never really finished, they\u2019re abandoned. Hahaha<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/beintheloopchicago.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/5-25-77-premiere-at-Genesee-Theatre-Waukegan-05-22-17-22-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
JC<\/strong>: So here we are all these many years after you began this journey. Did you ever think this film was going to get done? Or, when you first started it, did you think it was going to be like the other projects you\u2019ve worked on?<\/p>\nPRJ:<\/strong> I was sure that 9 months after we started it, it was going to be in theaters. Hahaha. And by the way, if we had done that, it would have been a disaster. The film wasn\u2019t correct then. The film ultimately taught me what it needed to be. Time was a luxury. I was fortunate enough to have investors that believed in me and said look make this the way it needs to be. Get it done, but make it right.<\/p>\nI\u2019ve had other offers and opportunities to have other make it, or make it the \u201ceasy way\u201d, but glad I didn\u2019t. It just wouldn\u2019t be mine or right.<\/p>\n
(Side note: There were some very big names talked about and interested in this during the early treatment and script days. One included Francis Ford Coppella.)<\/p>\n
But that was just not was I was trying to make. I was trying to make American Graffiti for the Star Wars generation. I mean, nothing is American Graffiti but this is maybe a distant cousin that shows up at family reunions and everyone just say, OK yeah, it\u2019s good to see ya and accepts it. (laughter)<\/p>\n
JC<\/strong>: Nice. I love the analogy. Now, overall, what would you say was the BIGGEST challenge to making this film? Obviously time and money are always at play, but what was the one thing that stood out while making this as being the greatest obstacle?<\/p>\nPRJ<\/strong>: The biggest challenge would be gravity. Getting up everyday, literally lifting myself out of bed to do this. Saying to my self, it\u2019s another day this film isn\u2019t finished, what do I do to change that.<\/p>\nMy parents passed away before I finished this. My mother just passed this last September, she was a big part of this story, but I made a promise to her and everyone else that I would finish this picture no matter what. You know Winston Churchill said, \u201cNever, never, never quit.\u201d I have a paperweight with that on it. That\u2019s my mantra. It keeps me going.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/beintheloopchicago.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/5-25-77-premiere-at-Genesee-Theatre-Waukegan-05-22-17-18-713x1024.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
JC<\/strong>: How did John Francis Daley get involved?<\/p>\nPRJ<\/strong>: I met John at his costume fitting. He was a last minute for another actor who was already famous and who\u2019s parents and management decided that they wanted half the profits from this like two days before we started filming or he\u2019s not going to be in the movie. And I said, we\u2019ll are you putting in half the money to make it? So we lost him and immediately started looking for a replacement. My extras casting director actually said, \u201cWhat about John Francis Daly?\u201d And I said, the little nine year old kid from Freaks and Geeks? And she said that was like nine years ago. I said, what, wait, really? And so we put it out there and invited him. He liked it, we signed him and I had no idea if it would work or not. He didn’t really look like me, then we put the wig on him and said, OK, there you go.<\/p>\nJC<\/strong>: Do you think you helped influence or guide him in his career path to being more behind the scenes in making movies? He\u2019s been doing quite a bit more of that then acting since your film with projects like, Horrible Bosses, Vacation and upcoming Spider-Man reboot series.<\/p>\nPRJ<\/strong>: I\u2019d love to take credit for that, but I won\u2019t. I think that John has always decided from the beginning that he wanted to direct and produce. He\u2019s got an incredibly keen mind and incredible observer. He was like a sponge. The reason he pulls off this terrific performance is because how much he pays attention to details and what\u2019s going on around him.<\/p>\nFor example, when other actors would go back to their trailers and craft service and whatever, John would stay around set and watch me and ask questions. He would learn how to be me by watching me and my motions, mannerisms and vocal patterns. Then he\u2019d incorporate them into his performance. He found a field guide to Pat Johnson. That\u2019s what a good actor does.<\/p>\n
He always had ideas how we could do things different or better for the scene. But I\u2019m sure he was watching and learning while on Freaks and Geeks from all the writers and producers. I\u2019m sure he said then, I want to do that.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/beintheloopchicago.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/5-25-77-premiere-at-Genesee-Theatre-Waukegan-05-22-17-1-683x1024.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
JC<\/strong>: Well, I\u2019m sure whether you want to admit it or not, you were an influence and mentor during the process. Especially since he was so observant. You should be a little proud of that.<\/p>\nPRJ<\/strong>: Well, I\u2019d be honored to be included in just the few little bits of the DNA that\u2019s Johns Francis Daly\u2019s career. I think it\u2019s just the beginning for him. He\u2019s got a long way to go and is going to get better and better.<\/p>\nJC:<\/strong> He really is a stand out and just seems, like you said, to be getting better and better with every project.<\/p>\nJC<\/strong>: How did you get such an amazing soundtrack in this film? Its filled with great tunes both original and classics. I mean, you have a Beatle involved! Ringo Starr has a solo track in it.<\/p>\nPRJ<\/strong>: Yeah, Ringo personally said yes to his song in the film. He said, (in Patrick’s best Ringo impersonation) \u201cSounds like a very charming film. You have my permission.\u201d<\/p>\nJC<\/strong>: Amazing. Alan Parsons and David E. Russo are a big part of the soundtrack as well. How did that come to be?<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/beintheloopchicago.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/5-25-77-premiere-at-Genesee-Theatre-Waukegan-05-22-17-38-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
PRJ<\/strong>: Well David and I have had a relationship for a number of years. He did the soundtrack to Spaced Invaders and Angus. I just love working with him. He\u2019s such a Zen, Yoda type guy that he\u2019s just so easy to work with, laid back and open, his music is just gorgeous.<\/p>\nAlan Parsons I\u2019ve know since, god, the 80\u2019s? Through Douglas Trumbull of all people. I met his partner in crime Eric Woolfson when he was meeting with Douglas one day back in \u201883 or \u201884. I was hire by Eric to do a music video (that was later cancelled) for Limelight. We just all hit it off. Whenever I\u2019d get a new car in high school or college, everyone would say, \u201cDid it come with the preinstalled Alan Parsons Project tape?\u201d (laughter) because that was like all I listed to at one point. In the process of that, I became friends with Alan. We\u2019re sort of similar guys. We sort of look like each other at certain points of our age. We both have the little gap between our teeth and we were both Star Wars nuts.<\/p>\n
It was always my dream that someday and some point, he\u2019d do the soundtrack to one of my movies and when 5-25-77 came along I asked him and he said absolutely, when do we start.<\/p>\n
JC<\/strong>: Will there be a CD or album release for this? Maybe a digital download with the purchase of the movie? I saw a lot of people bobbing their heads up and down during the movie. I caught myself tapping my toe once or twice.<\/p>\nPRJ<\/strong>: You know, I certainly hope so. I\u2019ve been approached by a couple groups about that. The licensing would be the hard part. But I\u2019m sure there\u2019s a way. Especially since some of these songs are ultimate masters and remixes that have never been heard. The Ringo song, Photograph, is not the original version. It\u2019s a different version that we worked on with him and his engineers to get tuned up for the end of the show. No ones heard this one before. I certainly hoping for that.<\/p>\nJC:<\/strong> So after the premiere, how was the reception? Did you get any feedback from all your friends and family who attended?<\/p>\nPRJ:<\/strong> I did. They absolutely went nuts for it. Which given how long they\u2019ve been waiting and given there expectation level, all though maybe that expectation level wasn\u2019t that high after all this time, I don\u2019t know, but the battle fatigue of making this might make any result of this exciting. (laughs)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/beintheloopchicago.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/5-25-77-premiere-at-Genesee-Theatre-Waukegan-05-22-17-36-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
JC:<\/strong> Was Linda (Johnson\u2019s love interest in the film) a real person or a made up roll and did she make it to the premiere?<\/p>\nPRJ<\/strong>: She was not only a real person, she was<\/em> there at the screening Monday night. I didn\u2019t call her out because, she is very shy and I wasn\u2019t sure she\u2019d be happy about being called out, so I just kind of left it.<\/p>\nJC<\/strong>: I\u2019m assuming you\u2019re still friends then?<\/p>\nPRJ<\/strong>: Oh yeah. Very much so.<\/p>\nJC<\/strong>: Has Steven Spielberg seen 5-25-77? I\u2019m curious on his take on your actor, Kevin J Stephens portrayal of him. It was really remarkable. A great interpretation and visual of how young he was at the start of his career. You captured that magically.<\/p>\nPRJ<\/strong>: Ha. As far as I know, he has not yet seen it. Over the years I\u2019ve made a couple attempts for him to see it, but I\u2019m actually glad he didn\u2019t see the early versions. I\u2019m able to get in contact with he and his people, but just haven\u2019t truly lined that up. You\u2019ve got to imagine what it\u2019s like for Spielberg, I mean, it\u2019s not just like, hey Steven can you take a look at this like 5-10 minutes of something, but your asking him to take two hours out of his life to watch my movie. I mean, just think how many people ask him for his time and opinion on things. And he started my career with Spaced Invaders. Maybe he\u2019ll just show up in LA for the premiere there or maybe he won\u2019t. I don\u2019t know. I\u2019d like him to see it for sure.<\/p>\nAs for Kevin Stephens, he was uncanny. People who know Steven very well said, \u201cDid you get a time machine?\u201d<\/p>\n
JC<\/strong>: I thought you used the new Star Wars facial recreation CGI they used on Grand Moff Tarkin or Liea.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/beintheloopchicago.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/5-25-77-premiere-at-Genesee-Theatre-Waukegan-05-22-17-12-300x200.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
PRJ<\/strong>: Well, it\u2019s better because, he took on the part to mimic him. Kevin wasn\u2019t even an actor! I just worked with him, gave him some reference materials and said, don\u2019t impersonate him, just imagine what it must have been like to be that young, created JAWS and working on one of the greatest, and my personal favorite movies, Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Imagine being in charge of this, excited but young and eager and in awe of all things going on around you. It was so difficult to pull off in the film. He gets what Pat\u2019s trying to be. It was him trying to be caring for me and what I was doing at that young, naive age.<\/p>\nJC<\/strong>: Do you have any tips or guidance for that next small town, up and coming filmmaker looking to make it big in Hollywood with his crazy film ideas?<\/p>\nPRJ<\/strong>: Just do it. Don\u2019t wait for anyone to give you permission. You don\u2019t have to go to film school. I mean, film school is a wonderful thing for some filmmakers and an important thing. And when I say you don\u2019t have to, I\u2019m not trying to sell some school short, I\u2019m just saying don\u2019t go to a bad film school. If you\u2019re going to go to a film school, go to a really great<\/em> one. You know who they are. One of them is the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. It\u2019s a tremendous film school and I\u2019m really proud to be teaching there. Their mission there is to create actual working filmmakers not just be a degree factory.<\/p>\nIf you\u2019re not going to go to the best school, then don\u2019t waste your time and money. If that\u2019s the case, just take the same money and buy yourself a Macintosh and Premiere software and really good DSLR or any one of these new digital cinema cameras and go be your own movie studio. Short films are great and they can get you noticed, but if you have a feature in you, do it. It doesn\u2019t have to cost much money. It never costs more money to be clever. If you can\u2019t write well, but you can direct well, get with a great writer and do something together. The story is EVERYTHING. If you don\u2019t have a great story, you will never have a great movie. Ever. No matter what you throw at it.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/beintheloopchicago.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/5-25-77-premiere-at-Genesee-Theatre-Waukegan-05-22-17-25-741x1024.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
JC<\/strong>: And I think your film is going to do just that. Inspire a whole new generation of filmmakers to see what you\u2019ve done, with what you had. And to see where you came from, to where you\u2019ve gone, very inspirational.<\/p>\nPRJ<\/strong>: Thanks. I hope so. I mean, if I can at least get that kind of interest from it, I\u2019ll be happy. At one point, we were premiering this at a film festival in Canada a few years ago and a student came up to me after and said, \u201cI know what first features going to be about now. It\u2019s going to be about the day I saw your movie.\u201d I said, \u201cPlease do that.\u201d<\/p>\nJC<\/strong>: What are you working on next?<\/p>\nPRJ<\/strong>: Nothing. I need breathing room to figure out what am I willing to risk with the next decade. I through myself all in to my projects. It\u2019s a commitment. But I\u2019m hoping that when this comes out, it will generate enough interest and people will say, what do you want to do next? This experience has evolved me. I\u2019m just going to let it sit for a minute and see what the universe throws at me.<\/p>\nJC<\/strong>: On a side note, there\u2019s been talk of a Dragonheart reboot for a while now. The 21st<\/sup> anniversary is coming up at the end of this month May 31, (Johnson seems to like May releases, besides Dragonheart and 5-25-77, Dead Heat was also May. Spaced Invaders was almost a May release, missed it by 3 days) do you have any involvement in that? Or is it all just talks and rumors still?<\/p>\nPRJ<\/strong>: I didn\u2019t know there was a Dragonheart reboot, so I guess not. (laughter) Well good, I hope that they make it well. Hahaha. Just remember, when I was directing it, it was Sean Connery and Liam Neeson as the knight and Elizabeth Hurley as the girl. Jerry Goldsmith was doing the score and little things like that.<\/p>\nJC<\/strong>: WOW, that\u2019s a whole other story in itself there. We might have to revisit that again someday.<\/p>\nPRJ:<\/strong>\u00a0Yeah, I\u2019m wondering who would direct it? I know it made 4 direct to video sequels. If it were me, I\u2019d make it a TV series. Its kind of like remaking Planet of the Apes. We all know how it ends. Is it worth it?<\/p>\nJC<\/strong>: Well, 5-25-77 was really well done Pat. It exceeded my expectations. I\u2019ve known you for a while. We worked together at the fruit stand (Apple Store) and I almost even got to help work on the picture with you once when you were in Iowa filming. I\u2019ve been following the movies process for many years. It really worked well. It got my toes tapping, I belted out a couple laughs and even felt a tear well up a couple times. Plus of course, I\u2019m a huge Star Wars fan myself.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/beintheloopchicago.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/5-25-77-premiere-at-Genesee-Theatre-Waukegan-05-22-17-30-644x1024.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
PRJ<\/strong>: Thanks. That means a lot to me. And how fun that we met at Apple and now here we are. This is really cool. That place is a movie waiting to happen. (laughter) I should make it someday. There are some characters there for sure.<\/p>\nBut yeah, that\u2019s what I was hoping people get. That\u2019s what moves me when watching a film and makes a great movie for me. I mean, ET does it for me still and Close Encounters is just transcendental\u00a0to me. It\u2019s my perfect film. It rewired me. That\u2019s what I want to convey.<\/p>\n
JC<\/strong>: So is there anyone out there today doing that to you now? Any new or veteran filmmakers pulling at your heartstrings or turning your head?<\/p>\nPRJ<\/strong>: You know, there are a lot of new filmmakers doing things that inspire me or I\u2019ve taken notice to, but it\u2019s still the original people that inspired me to start all this, still making an influence in my life. I think that Ridley Scott\u2019s second coming, with “The Martian” is just the best. Here you\u2019ve got a guy in his 70\u2019s who made the most exuberant, youthful and hopeful and positive, awe inspiring films of the year for me when he did that. It so hit me. It so got me. A different take from a man who was so dark before. And Christopher Nolan is someone I truly admire but vexes me because “Interstellar” was one of those films that I partially absolutely love, but partially went, oh no, no, no, no. I mean, it was almost an impossible task. He was trying to make his “Close Encounters meets 2001” it shares so many of those elements but of course it has to be compared to them but it\u2019s impossible weight to bare. Chris Nolan made one of my other all time favorite films called, “The Prestige”. The kind of film that I\u2019d aspire to make in my wildest dreams. “Inception” is a tremendous film, but I think “The Prestige” is a better film. On an emotional level, I just thought “The Prestige” was better for me because of that. It\u2019s truly magic.<\/p>\nI can\u2019t wait for anything Steven does. He just keeps reinventing himself. “Munich” is just one of the best. There is a death scene that is one of the best scenes ever filmed. To me that moment of the depth of human empathy from death is just so amazing. That was just one of the most profound moments ever seen on the screen.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/beintheloopchicago.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/5-25-77-premiere-at-Genesee-Theatre-Waukegan-05-22-17-32-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
JC<\/strong>: You have a couple of those moving scenes in your film too. When we saw them, it got quite and moved us. I don\u2019t want to give it away, but when the public sees those moments, they will feel it.<\/p>\nPRJ<\/strong>: Thanks so much again. That\u2019s truly what I\u2019m looking for.<\/p>\nJC<\/strong>: Thank you for taking the time to do this Patrick. I think this story is going to move people. I hope that it gets some inspired to create and take the leap of faith to making their dreams come true as well.<\/p>\nFor more on Patrick Read Johnson and Moonwatcher Films click here<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/beintheloopchicago.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/18671232_10156280157062178_477224397726608974_n.jpg\")
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By James Currie Ok, so he\u2019s not just a \u201cWadsworth Man\u201d, he\u2019s Patrick Read Johnson, the Hollywood Writer, Producer, Director, Actor and Special Effects guru who brought us classics like, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":18721,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[39,41,19,20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18720","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-music-news","category-features","category-interviews","category-reviews"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/beintheloopchicago.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18720","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/beintheloopchicago.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/beintheloopchicago.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/beintheloopchicago.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/beintheloopchicago.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=18720"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/beintheloopchicago.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18720\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/beintheloopchicago.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/18721"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/beintheloopchicago.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=18720"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/beintheloopchicago.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=18720"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/beintheloopchicago.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=18720"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/beintheloopchicago.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/5-25-77-premiere-at-Genesee-Theatre-Waukegan-05-22-17-2-300x200.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/beintheloopchicago.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/5-25-77-premiere-at-Genesee-Theatre-Waukegan-05-22-17-19-718x1024.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/beintheloopchicago.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/5-25-77-premiere-at-Genesee-Theatre-Waukegan-05-22-17-23-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/beintheloopchicago.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/5-25-77-premiere-at-Genesee-Theatre-Waukegan-05-22-17-6-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/p>\n